The Church Part Four

THE CHURCH PART FOUR

The Spirit, God’s Grace, works such strong faith in His Church, so to dampen doubt. In Paul’s time of service it flourished and the disciples worked a work of miracles in the church and establishing of churches across the known world. Encouraged by the faith generated by Holy Spirit deliverance, participants of the Christian movement became energized. The words of Jesus ringing in their ears forbade resistance to physical attack upon their person. When sinners are converted, they will love and honor those whom they before despised and hated. The fruits of faith thus begin to appear in the church groups as they were established. Constant reviving was necessary. The heightened activities led to persecution and death of the apostles. Still Christ’s church grew. Currently there are well over two bilion Christians world wide.

You may have wonder how the twelve apostles died, but The New Testament tells of the fate of only two of the apostles: Judas, who betrayed Jesus and then went out and hanged himself, and James the son of Zebedee, who was executed by Herod by the sword about 44 AD (Acts 12:2).

There exists many stories, fairly constant, in other historical accounts and pictorial graphite. Reports and legends abound and they are not always reliable, but it is safe to say that the apostles went far and wide spreading the message of the risen Christ. An early legend says they cast lots and divided up the known world habitations and thus determined who would go where, so that every ear could hear about Jesus. They suffered greatly for their faith and in most cases met violent deaths on account of their bold witness.

“Peter and Paul were both martyred in Rome about 66 AD, during the persecution under Emperor Nero. Paul was beheaded. Peter was crucified. He did not feel worthy to be crucifies as Jesus was. He requested and was granted crucifixion in an upside position; thus he died.

Andrew’s lot fell on the "land of the man-eaters." There were apparently cannibals in that time in what is now the Soviet Union. Christians there claim him as the first to bring the gospel to their land. He also preached in Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey, and in Greece, where he is said to have been crucified.

Thomas was probably most active in the area east of Syria. Tradition has him preaching as far east as India, where the ancient Marthoma Christians revere him as their founder. They claim that he died there when pierced through with the spears of four soldiers.

Philip possibly had a powerful ministry in Carthage in North Africa and then in Asia Minor, where he converted the wife of a Roman proconsul. In retaliation the proconsul had Philip arrested and cruelly put to death.Matthew the tax collector and writer of a Gospel, ministered in Persia and Ethiopia. Some of the oldest reports say he was not martyred, while others say he was stabbed to death in Ethiopia.

Bartholomew had widespread missionary travels attributed to him by tradition: to India with Thomas, back to Armenia, and also to Ethiopia and Southern Arabia. There are various accounts of how he met his death as a martyr for the gospel.

James the son of Alpheus, is one of at least three James referred to in the New Testament. There is some confusion as to which is which, but this James is reckoned to have ministered in Syria. The Jewish historian Josephus reported that he was stoned and then clubbed to death.

Simon the Zealot so the story goes, ministered in Persia and was killed after refusing to sacrifice to the sun god.

Matthais was the apostle chosen to replace Judas. Tradition sends him to Syria with Andrew and to death by burning.

John is the only one of the company generally thought to have died a natural death from old age. He was the leader of the church in the Ephesus area and is said to have taken care of Mary the mother of Jesus in his home. During Domitian's persecution in the middle 90's,(he was reportedly boiled in oil but survived only to be exiled to the island of Patmos to die. There he received from God the Revelation of Jesus Christ.) He is credited with writing the last book of the New Testament; the Revelation. An early Latin tradition has him escaping unhurt after being cast into boiling oil at Rome.” Xfinity; Christianity.com

After the death of the apostles, we do not find great missionary figures of the stature of Paul. Yet the faith continued to spread like wildfire; even though Christianity was declared an illegal religion. Still, God’s commandments were fullfilled and all received their just rewards because God is a just God. Know God, Know peace. Amen 04-01-2020 BLL